The Dearborn Heights City Council voted on May 27 to advance design work for a proposed new fire station at the site described in staff materials as the property on the west side of Beech‑Daley (just south of Ann Arbor Trail), commonly referred to in the meeting as “Site 2.”

The motion to approve Site 2 and authorize initiation of the design phase was made by Councilwoman Nancy Bridal and seconded by Councilwoman Denise Malinowski Maxwell; the motion passed following a roll‑call vote. City staff said they would use a design grant to prepare shovel‑ready plans before seeking construction funding.

City staff (project lead Ali Deeb) told council the city engaged geotechnical testing and said that tests for the selected site were complete and that the strip of land immediately south of Ann Arbor Trail on the west side of Beech‑Daley has not historically flooded, according to the presentation. Deeb said utilities (water, sanitary, storm and electric) and traffic access were reviewed and that Wayne County and other utility owners had been consulted where county infrastructure is involved.

The discussion was lengthy and, at times, contentious. Several council members and members of the public urged caution about building on land adjacent to the Warren Valley Golf Course; Councilwoman Denise Malinowski Maxwell and others expressed concerns about potential impacts to the golf operation and about future maintenance/expansion needs. Golf course operator Jason Pearsall said the course is in strong condition and that either site would have a course footprint impact, but he encouraged a public study session so residents and engineers could look at plans together.

Staff noted programmatic constraints and funding timing. Deeb said the city has a design‑only grant (referred to in the meeting as Rasheeda Clay funding) available for final design work but must assemble construction funding later; he also cited an earlier cost estimate of roughly $10 million from prior planning, and told council that construction cost estimates had since risen (staff cited an updated figure in the discussion near $13 million). Deeb said he had requested an additional $3 million from state representatives to reflect higher construction costs and that the design grant would ready the project for the larger construction funding request.

Council members asked technical questions about access, circulation for large apparatus, sanitary and storm connections, and whether deep foundations or pile work would be required. Deeb and staff said the design team would identify foundations and drainage measures during the detailed design phase; they also said architects and structural engineers experienced in fire station work had been selected to perform the design once the site was authorized.

Why it matters: the city said a new fire station is needed to improve emergency response coverage and to replace aging facilities. The site selection decision moves the project from the site‑selection phase into contract design, which is necessary before construction bids can be sought and before larger state funding requests can be finalized.

Ending: Several council members said they wanted additional, site‑specific reports (drainage/flood‑risk assessment, final circulation layouts) at the next study session; staff committed to preparing more detailed design information and to coordinating with Wayne County and utility owners as the design proceeds.